Re: Cistus

There is a book of some historical value which you may think of
interest. "Cistografía Hispánica" was published in 1949 by the Spanish
Ministry of Agriculture and is concerned with Cistus in Spain.
Comprehensive and ground breaking at its time, it is mainly concerned
with a description and ecology of wild Cistus. There is a full chapter
on each of eleven Spanish natives. Also a whole section is devoted to
known hybrids, naturally occurring or otherwise. I have a special
fondness for this book as it was written by Manuel Martin Bolaños, an
eminent but much forgotten Spanish botanist. He was my grandfather.

I have just looked up a paragraph from the introduction in which he
describes the possible uses for gardeners. Here goes a rough
translation...

" The needs of Cistus are apparently so slight, that gardeners have been
attracted to the genus and its colourful flowers. Their brief duration,
a day, and even less in rainy weather, and the fleetingness of the
petals under the effect of vibration have severely limited these
attempts. In Spain, however, constantly in battle with the lack of
water, this remains virgin territory. Let us recall that some species,
like C. salvifolius and C. crispus, with abundant small leaves, are well
suited to cutting back and can be shaped to lie close to the ground with
intertwined branches: Snow white flowers on the former, which prolong
well into Spring, contrast with the purple of the latter. (....) All
species flower with profusion after two or three years, if they are kept
in the open." 

Damian Martin


> Olivier, Rebecca, et al.
> 
> The most knowledgeable person in the U.S. when it comes to the genus Cistus
> is Kenneth Montgomery, owner of Anderson Valley Nursery, P.O. Box 504,
> Boonville, CA 95415.  He has done considerable hybridizing as well as
> collecting.  His nursery is only wholesale, but you might be able to find a
> local nursery that carries or would be willing to order his stock.  I don't
> think he is on the internet.
> 
> Ken is coauthor of a booklet, The Rockroses, published by the Master
> Gardeners of El Dorado County, CA, revised December 1997.  it is offered by
> the University of California Cooperative Extension, Mario Moratorio,
> Director, 311 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667, phone 530-621-5512.
> 
> Olivier's catalog (Pepiniere Filippi, http://www.jardin-sec.com/ has the
> most extensive list of Cistus species and hybrids I have ever seen, many
> with color photos, and descriptions all in French.  Unfortunately, they
> mostly show just flowers, with little foliage and no shots of full plants
> and growth habit, so their value for identification is somewhat limited.
> Nevertheless, it is a most impressive and valuable collection.
> 
> John MacGregor
> jonivy@earthlink.net
> 
> 
> ----------
> >From: "Olivier Filippi" <olivier.filippi@wanadoo.fr>
> >To: "Mediterannean Plants List" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> >Subject: Re: Cistus
> >Date: Sun, Apr 16, 2000, 11:48 PM
> >
> 
> > Hi Rebecca,
> >
> > Lots of Cistus species and cultivars are available in France and the UK, I
> > don't know about the US. Sean, didn't you tell me you had a nurseryman
> > friend, Ken Montgomery, who was Cistus crazy ? Could you mail his address to
> > Rebecca or the list ?
> >
> > For the time being, no book on Cistus. Bob Page in the UK is working on a
> > Cistus book, I hope it will be ready soon. The descriptions in my own
> > catalogue are in French, but the entries are by botanical names of course,
> > so it might help, and you have some photos. You can have a look at that on
> > the web http://www.jardin-sec.com/ .
> >
> > Pruning ? Well yes you are right, the period of dormancy is summer : best is
> > to prune lightly each year in the end of summer before the new autumn
> > growth. That helps to keep a nice mound shape to your Cistus, so they won't
> > become to tall and leggy with the years. To keep them nice and compact,
> > remember to let them grow in natural conditions : no water, no fertilizer, a
> > diet of sun and poor dry soil is just what they need.
> >
> > Olivier
> >
> >
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